


Salt and Pepper

by Primarina (sherlockstummy)



Series: The Kitten and the Bug [27]
Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Existential Crisis, F/M, Fluff, Married Couple, Old Age
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-20
Updated: 2017-05-20
Packaged: 2018-11-02 17:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10949394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sherlockstummy/pseuds/Primarina
Summary: Dan finds a few more gray hairs and worries about getting old.





	Salt and Pepper

**Author's Note:**

  * For [archionblu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/archionblu/gifts).



Dan curled the strands of hair around his finger, his face inches from the mirror. 

He couldn’t believe it. More gray hairs.

Sure, he had a few grays before, but they weren’t in your face. He got them at the base of his neck, little strands that could only be viewed in certain lighting, and could certainly be confused with a trick of the light.

It had started with flecks in his beard that he’d grown out due to laziness, but somehow, gray in his hair—visible in his hair—was worse. The more he looked at it, the bigger the knot in his stomach became. A few gray streaks meant more were coming, ready to wind their way through his dark mane of hair and stand out like a motherfucker, reminding everyone that Dan Avidan, Not So Grump and lead singer of Ninja Sex Party, was almost forty years old. 

He’d never been bothered by his age. Hell, he was still able-bodied, and he still viewed the energy to do what you loved as the most important thing. He’d said before age was just the number of times the Earth revolved around the sun, and didn’t reflect on what a person was or wasn’t capable of. But the fact of the matter was that he never really felt his age. It helped that he and Arin made fart jokes and burped and fooled around like twelve year olds for their job, and though he had stomach problems and multiple pills to take, he was lucky not to be afflicted with arthritis or serious back pain.

He still felt twenty. Without all the pot.

Dan was rescued from drowning in his thoughts by a gentle tap of knuckles against the slightly open bathroom door. His wife appeared around the side of the door, hair mussed from bed, no makeup on. Her sleep schedule was still off from IMATS, the jet lag causing her to struggle with returning to her usual sleeping patterns, but she looked beautiful. Even fresh from Sleepytime Junction.

“Babe, I need to shower.” Vie slid the door open. Her husband looked like a deer in headlights, his bony shoulders stiff, muscles clenched tight like a toy soldier. He had a few strands of hair curled around his finger, which he often did while sitting at his desk, thinking. Fidget toys helped, but getting him to remember to use them was another story altogether. 

“Is everything okay, Dan?” With her brain catching up to her, Vie recognized the distress signals. She stepped fully into the bathroom, dimly aware she looked a mess in an oversized tee shirt and boyfriend-shorts underwear, breath stale from bed, but that wasn’t exactly her primary concern. She reached out to lightly bright her fingers against his wrist, which was within reach gripping the edge of the sink like he’d fall if he let go. The last time she’d seen him like this—scared shitless—was when Arin had tugged him into the ocean past his knees by accident. It had to be serious. “Danny, talk to me. What’s wrong?” She could hear the panic in her own voice, her heart beating rapidly against her ribcage.

Dan deflated slightly as Vie slid her hand over his. Fuck, he hadn’t meant to worry her like that. But… He was still four years her senior. What would she think of her husband going gray at 38? He could hear the nerves in his voice as he spoke, choking on them like bile. “I…I’ve got gray hairs. Visible ones.” He uncurled his finger from the strands, letting them spring back into shape against his cheekbone. “I look so…so fuckin old. And I have to go to the office today to film. What’s Arin gonna think? What’s Ross gonna say? What will the fans think when it’s not just my beard that’s turning gray? I’m gonna be laughed off the stage at every show we ever do,” He swallowed, shifting to rest his weight against one hip, his free hand nervously flapping, tugging at his hair, his shirt, his pockets, not touching her, but not moving from her touch either. “I’ll be laughed at now that I look old. Forget that I sound like I’m everybody’s dad—”

“Hey, hey,” Vie soothed gently, her arms wrapping around his waist, pulling him close to her warmth. “Where’s this all coming from all of a sudden? Why do you think everyone will look at you different just because you’ve got visible gray hair?”

Dan’s hands shook over her form before finally deciding to wrap his arms around her, too, his chin coming to rest on the top of her head as he started to breathe again. “Because…” He shifted, nuzzling in her hair to hide his face, his words spoken to her ear. To say them to the world might put the idea in everyone’s minds before he even posted to Instagram today. “I look my age. And everyone hates old people these days.”

“Danny,” Vie pulled back from the hug enough to cup his cheek in her palm. “Don’t say that. You’re more than your age. Hell, you’re the one who talked me out of my midlife crisis!” He chuckled against her, hazel eyes sliding closed as he butted her forehead with his own. “No one’s going to decide they hate you just because you’re going gray. You’re not even the oldest in your crew, and everyone loves Brian. Loves him even more for his “dad” aesthetics.”

Dan snorted. “Oh my God.”

“It’s true!” Vie insisted. “It’s very true. He’s all gray, and fans love Ninja Brian. Always have. And they’re behind you, too.” She pressed her lips to his in a chaste kiss, and Dan reveled in it like a cat in a sunbeam. “Besides,” she blushed. “I…actually like it. I think it looks super cute.”

Dan perked up a little. “Really?” His heart felt light. Honestly, that was all he needed to hear. He’d be okay with losing an entire fanbase if Vie still thought he was cute.

“Yeah,” Vie pulled out the strands, coupling them with the dark locks, getting a closer look under the bright bathroom lights. “It compliments your dark hair really well. I always loved the ones at your nape. I was really sad when you had to get a trim for the show and they were snipped off.” She kissed him again, and Dan melted into it, a popsicle in sunshine under her lips.

“That makes me feel so much better,” Dan purred, nuzzling against her cheek. “Thanks, Bugs.”

“Anytime, my love.” Vie squeezed him one last time before letting go, her hands straying to the hem of her tee shirt. “Now, shoo! I cannot deal with a boner from you at this hour.”

“Jesus, Vie, it’s 9:15!”

Vie flipped him off. “I’m still jetlagged, asshole!”

“Love you, too, baby girl.” Dan’s hands walked teasingly up her back as she turned towards the shower, the shirt riding up over her gorgeous ass. He really was going to get a boner if he stuck around much—ah, forget it. He was already getting hard.

“Get out of here.” Dan could hear the eyeroll in Vie’s voice and he laughed, retreating a few steps. 

“You still love me, though.”

“Mm, I do. More than words can say.”

“I mean, the fact that you deal with me having a boner is proof enough.”

“Question: does the carpet match the drapes?”

Dan opened the door again to flip her off, leaving her cackling hysterically.

~

Dan came home to the welcome smell of Thai food, and he finally began to decompress after his long day. Ross was the only one who even commented on it, but he’d been expecting that, and he was even in a good enough humor to put on his patented Old Man voice and pretend loudly not to hear.

Everything was fine. He’d even braved a scroll through the comments on his Instagram and was pleased to find a good number of them positive towards his “salty” beard. 

Thus he was in good humor…mostly. Part of him still worried about live appearances, if only because of vanity. He could always dye it, though Vie would likely prefer if he stayed gray.

With those thoughts running through his head, twisting around the hunger in his gut and squeezing it dry, he headed into the kitchen…

And stopped short.

Vie had her back to him, a pair of Bluetooth headphones seated comfortably on her ears as she set up the plates for dinner. That explained why she didn’t hear him come in. What surprised him, though, was her hair. It was getting long, shiny in a long, straight, golden flow down her back. Only, it wasn’t all golden anymore.

Vie must’ve sensed eyes on her, his fingers curiously touching her hair to see if it was real. If she was real, because holy shit. She removed her headphones and turned around towards him, smiling in welcome, though she also glowed with self-satisfied pride.

“Welcome home.”

“Vie…”

“Do you like it?” Vie pulled a strand over her shoulder. She’d dyed it with streaks again, as was her wont (Dan liked to tease her about going the way of the desperate YouTuber), nut this time, each streak was a soft, silvery gray that looked…strangely natural. Especially because she had selected streaks at random, without any discernible pattern. 

As if she was going gray, too.

Dan felt his eyes welling with tears, his heart swelling with love for this woman whose ring he wore on her finger, whom he was bound to for life, whom he loved more than anyone or anything in the world. He surged forward, pulling her into a hug, making her giggle in surprise before she returned the crushing hug wholeheartedly.

“I…” Dan sniffled, burrowing into her neck so he could smell her. Her freshly-washed skin smelled like the bubble gum body wash she so loved to use, and the muted berry scent of her hair complimented it well. “Vie…you’re amazing, oh my God. How the fuck did I get so lucky?”

Vie nuzzled into his neck in return, her fingers trailing up and down the knobs of his spine. “So…is that a yes?”

Dan giggled wetly against her neck, pressing a kiss against her pulse point before pulling away and sliding a few strands through his fingers. “Yes, I love it. You look so cute, baby.” He kissed her forehead to make her smile, just because he could.

“See?” Vie grinned, standing on tiptoe to kiss under his jaw. “If I look good with gray hair, so do you.”

Dan blinked back tears, his heart so full, he was sure it would burst. “Thanks, Vie. I love you. So much.”

Vie pulled him closer to her so they could meet in the middle for a kiss. “I love you, too,” she murmured against his lips. “Now, let’s eat. I’m starving.”

Danny giggled, kissing her intently before releasing her. “Me too.” His fingers threaded through her hair, smiling warmly as reached around him to serve.

“Get the cups, will you, love?”

“Sure thing, baby girl.”

**Author's Note:**

> I had this idea a long time ago, then archionblu brought it up and reminded me of it. Obviously it looked better in my head, but hopefully it cheers you up anyway, Archie! :D
> 
> For those of you waiting on other fics of mine...shh, it's okay. They're all coming. I promise.


End file.
